Umbrella

ABSTRACT

An umbrella having a generally rectangular configuration when folded flat in a collapsed condition; the umbrella including a handle and stick in which the handle is movable downwardly against a normal compression spring pressure which urges the handle recesses into engagement with rib tips of collapsed dome ribs lying along the umbrella stick of the collapsed umbrella.

States Paten Inventor ll-lleinz Seitel [50] Field 111 Search 135/25. 26,Solingen-Ohligs, Germany 44, 2O Appl. No. 790,750 Filed Jan. 13, 1969[56] References Cited Patented Dec. 21, 1971 UNITED STATES PATENTSAssignee Telesw Bmrhey Limited 240,411 4/1881 Hartmann 135/44 I g q g w2,177,458 10/1939 Okun 135/25 Pr-lomy ggfi Primary Examiner-J. Karl BellP 17 57 34.5 Atlorney Alan Swabey ABSTRACT: An umbrella having agenerally rectangular con- UMBRELLA lcmim 5 Drawing m figuranon whenfolded flat m a collapsed condltlon; the umbrella including a handle andstick in which the handle is l.l.S.Cl 1135/ 1 1, movable downwardlyagainst a normal compression Spring 135/25 pressure which urges thehandle recesses into engagement Hilliaof collapsed dome bs along theumbrella A45b 19/00 stick of the collapsed umbrella.

1 I I I 1 I z i l f? i 11% 53 L L 11:

SHEET 2 OF 2 INVENTOR Hmium SEWEL A TTORWEY PATENTEBnEm UMBRELLABACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of Invention The present inventionrelates to an umbrella and particularly to improvements in handles forcollapsible umbrellas.

2. Description of Prior Art Collapsible umbrellas having telescopicsticks are already known wherein the lateral extensions on the handlesdefine seats for receiving the tips of the dome ribs when it is in acollapsed position. However, in order to open such umbrellas, it isnecessary to extend the telescopic stick somewhat to release the tips ofthe dome ribs. In the course of this operation, the pressure of the handwhich grabs the handle is applied to the runner and the handle, therebypreventing the movement of the dome rib tips which in turn are beingforced outwardly by the movement of the runner. Consequently, the tipsof the dome ribs will be forced to relinquish their longitudinallyparallel position with the stick and to assume a certain spreadingposition. Under these circumstances the dome ribs are being forcedwhenever the umbrella is expanded and subsequently when the umbrella isbeing collapsed. The umbrella covering material may set caught betweenthe components of the mechanism which may easily lead to damage of thecovering material.

It is an aim of the present invention to overcome these drawbacks and toprovide such a handle construction whereby the outward swinging movementof the dome ribs from the handle requires no extension of the stick andwherein, particularly in collapsible umbrellas which have a flat crosssection in the collapsed condition, an easy arrangement and grouping ofthe dome tips on the handle is made possible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The foregoing aim of the present invention isachieved in a collapsible umbrella which has a crown, dome ribs,stretchers, and, if needed, auxiliary stretchers, and at least onerunner which has a guiding sleeve, and a handle upon the end of thestick, provided with a base and lateral extensions defining seats forthe tips of the dome ribs in the collapsed condition of the umbrella. Anannular recess in the handle is also provided for accommodating theguiding sleeve of the runner. Accordingly, the present invention ischaracterized by the handle being connected to the stick by means of aspring loaded connection, the length of which corresponds at least tothe depth of insertion of the dome rib tips into the recess defining theseat for the tips.

According to the present invention, the movement of the handle axiallyof the stick in an upward and downward direction is limited, however, itmay be still moved to such an extent that in the lowest position of thehandle the tips of the dome ribs are released from the seat, without thenecessity of extending the telescopic components of the stick. A simpletup upon the handle against the pressure of the control spring in adownward direction is sufiicient to release the tips of the dome ribswithout in any way altering the telescoped position position of theumbrella stick components, whereby the position of the dome rib tipswith relation to the stick will not be essentially altered. According tothis arrangement, and particularly in collapsible umbrellas which in thecollapsed condition have a flat cross section, the orderly arrangementof the dome rib ends into two groups, one on either side of the stick issubstantially facilitated whenever the umbrella is being folded. Bothbundles may be safely held together in one hand and may be easily guidedinto the recessed seats provided in the handle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The nature of the invention will nowbe explained with particular references to the accompanying drawings,which show by way of illustration preferred embodiments thereof, and inwhich:

FIG. l is a schematic illustration in cross section showing the handlein a normal position according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration in :a cross section similar to FIG. 1of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and showing the handle in extendedposition;

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross section showing another embodiment of thehandle of an umbrella in a normal position;

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration in cross section of the embodimentshown in FIG. 3 and showing the handle in an extended position; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a detail of the embodimentshown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the accompanying drawings,identical components are designated with the same reference numerals.

The handle shown in the drawings relates to umbrellas having acollapsible stick and dome ribs which fold upwards. In other words, thereference numeral 9 indicates the hinge portions of the folded umbrelladome ribs. The tips of the dome ribs would be near the crown (notshown). Furthermore, the embodiments shown in the figures of thesedrawings relate to the type of umbrella known as the flat: umbrella, asdescribed in our copending United States application Ser. No. 7l7,523,filed Apr. 1, 1968.

Of course, the present invention would also apply to the conventionalround type of collapsible umbrella.

The handle is denoted generally by the numeral 8 in the drawings and itis located on the lower end of a stick 2, and comprises generally alower base member 7, lateral extensions 11, and a centrally locatedsleeve 4. The base 7, lateral extensions I1 define cavities or recessesllla. This, of course, as described in the above-mentioned copendingapplication, is adapted to receive the tips of the umbrella dome ribs,or, in this case, the tips 3 of the hinge members 9 of the folded domeribs.

The handle 8 includes a sleeve 4 which is adapted to receive aprojecting sleeve 5 which is an extension of an umbrella runner 6.

Referring now particularly to FIG. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the centralsleeve 4 of the handle 8 defines a central bore 17 adapted to receivethe stick 2. In the present case, the diameter of the bore 17 issubstantially larger than the outside diameter of the stick 2 as shownin the drawings. Normally, in conventional umbrellas, the stick 2 wouldbe close fitted in this bore. Near the base 7, the recess 4 is providedwith opposite guide slots 14. These guide slots are preferably (notnecessarily) aligned with the lateral extensions 11 of the handle 8. Aguide pin 13 is secured to the bottom of the stick 2 and extendslaterally into the guide slots 14 diametrically of the stick 2.

The sleeve 4 is provided near the upper limits of the guide slot 14 withinwardly extending flanges 15. A spring 12 is provided between the guidepin 13 and the flanges 15. The length of the guide slots 14 isdetermined by the height of the walls of the lateral extensions 11defining recesses 11a. The length of these guide slots should beslightly greater than the height of the walls of the recesses 11a.

The position of the handle 8 in FIG. 1 is maintained in this normalposition with the dome rib hinge members 9 within the recesses 11a bythe force exerted on the cross pin 13 by means of the spring 12. Spring12 presses the guide pin against lower limit 16 of the guide slot 14,thus keeping the end of the umbrella stick 2 in its lowermost position.Cutout flanges 2a which can be provided along the stick 2 and engage theupper portions of the flanges 15 also provide a limit to the axialextent of the spring 12 and prevent any axial force along the stick 2against the base 7 of the handle 8.

When it is required to open the umbrella from a stowed, collapsedposition, it is necessary to allow the dome rib tips or dome rib hingemembers 59 to swing outwardly from the recess 110. By retaining theumbrella stick 2 fixed and by pulling the handle 8 axially away from thehandle 2, thus compressing the spring 12, the walls of the recess 11awill be lowered to clear the end of the hinge members 9 as shown in FIG.2. The direction of this movement of the handle is shown by arrow A inFIG. 2. Thus, the tips 3 of the dome rib hinge members 9 are releasedfrom the recess 11a. It is noted, that in this operation, no force isexerted on the runners 6 or relatively speaking on the stick 2. Theforce is applied only to the handle 8 against the spring 12.

Therefore, the dome ribs are not exposed to any tensile and/orcompression stresses and their appropriate positions in the vicinity ofthe stick remain practically unaltered, so that upon subsequent handlingof the umbrella there is no possibility of any damage occurring to theumbrella-covering material.

Similarly, when it is required to collapse the umbrella in a stowedcondition, it is only necessary to give a slight tug to the handle 8 soas to allow the tips 3 of the hinge members 9 of the dome ribs to comeinto alignment with the recess lla Upon release of the handle 8, thewalls of the recesses lla engage about the tips 3 of the hinge members 9as shown in FIG. 1.

Referring now to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings, the handle 8 isprovided with a similar base 7 and lateral extension members 11. Aninner concentric shaft 18 extends inwardly of the tubular stick 2 and isfixed to the base 7. The inner opening of the tubular stick 2 isreferred to as 2b in the drawings. The handle 8 defines an annular space4b between the concentric shaft 18 and the walls of the central sleeve4. The bottom of this annular space 4b is indicated at 4a. An insertsleeve 19 is spring-fitted in the bottom of this annular space 411. Thesleeve includes an annular wall portion and an inwardly extending flange19d defining an inward shoulder 19a and an upper shoulder surface 190.

Insert 19 is shown in FIG. 5 as being provided with a slot 19b whichallows the sleeve 19 to be slightly compressed when it is fitted intothe end of the annular space 4b in the central sleeve 4.

In this embodiment, the end of the stick 2 is provided with an outwardlyextending flange 2c. A spring 20 is provided between the flange 2c andshoulder 19a of the flange 19d.

Similar to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in

operation of the present embodiment, the handle is merely tugged-orpulled axially relative to the stick 2, thus compressing the spring 20along the tips 3 of the dome rib hinge members 9 to clear the walls ofthe recess 1 la.

I claim: I

1. In an umbrella having a stick dome ribs, a runner reciprocablysupported on said stick, and a handle at the end of the stick and havingconfiguration generally in alignment with said runner, the handleincluding means for removably receiving said runner and means forreceiving portions of said dome ribs, said handle being displacablyconnected to said stick for limited axial movement relative to saidstick and ribs whereby said runner and rib tips are retained in a firstseated position in said handle when the umbrella is collapsed, and thetips are cleared of the handle when the umbrella is opened in a secondposition, and a compression spring operatively connected between thestick and said handle and normally urging said handle toward the firstposition to retain the dome rib tips at said handle when the umbrella iscollapsed, and means connected between said handle and said stick forretaining the handle in a path of axial movement preventing relativerotation of said handlewith respect to said stick whereby said runnerand handle are maintained in a plane, the handle comprising a basehaving upwardly opening, diametrically opposed recesses flankingopposite sides of said handle for receiving tips of a respective groupof dome ribs therein, said base including a centrally located sleeveextending concentrically about said stick and defining an elongatedannular recess therein, said runner including a depending sleevereciprocably received in said annular recess when said umbrella isfolded, said handle including an integral shaft, said stick beingtelescopically connected to said shaft, said centrally located sleeveand said stick in said sleeve including opposed shoulders, saidcompression spring extending axially between said shoulders, and adeformable element having a generally cylindrical configuration disposedaxially in said handle between said shoulders, said insert elementhaving an inwardly extending shoulder, said stick terminating withinsaid insert element and having a lower terminal shoulder, said springbeing interposed between said last-mentioned shoulders.

1. In an umbrella having a stick dome ribs, a runner reciprocablysupported on said stick, and a handle at the end of the stick and havingconfiguration generally in alignment with said runner, the handleincluding means for removably receiving said runner and means forreceiving portions of said dome ribs, said handle being displacablyconnected to said stick for limited axial movement relative to saidstick and ribs whereby said runner and rib tips are retained in a firstseated position in said handle when the umbrella is collapsed, and thetips are cleared of the haNdle when the umbrella is ''''opened'''' in asecond position, and a compression spring operatively connected betweenthe stick and said handle and normally urging said handle toward thefirst position to retain the dome rib tips at said handle when theumbrella is collapsed, and means connected between said handle and saidstick for retaining the handle in a path of axial movement preventingrelative rotation of said handle with respect to said stick whereby saidrunner and handle are maintained in a plane, the handle comprising abase having upwardly opening, diametrically opposed recesses flankingopposite sides of said handle for receiving tips of a respective groupof dome ribs therein, said base including a centrally located sleeveextending concentrically about said stick and defining an elongatedannular recess therein, said runner including a depending sleevereciprocably received in said annular recess when said umbrella isfolded, said handle including an integral shaft, said stick beingtelescopically connected to said shaft, said centrally located sleeveand said stick in said sleeve including opposed shoulders, saidcompression spring extending axially between said shoulders, and adeformable element having a generally cylindrical configuration disposedaxially in said handle between said shoulders, said insert elementhaving an inwardly extending shoulder, said stick terminating withinsaid insert element and having a lower terminal shoulder, said springbeing interposed between said last-mentioned shoulders.